Apparatus for agitating, separating, positioning, and distributing container caps and other articles



' Feb. 20, 1923.

' 1,446,024 J. E. TORNQUIST ET AL APPARATUS -FOR AGITATING, SEPARATING, POSITIONING, AND DISTRIBUTING CONTAINER CAPS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed June 14, 1920 4 sheetssh eeb 1 J. E. TORNQUIST ET AL V APPARATUS FOR AGITATING, SEPARATING, POSITIONING, AND DISTRIBUTING CONTAINfER CAPS AND OTHER ARTICLES Hled June 14, 1929 v 4 sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 20; 1923. 1,44 ,024

I/v VENTOE 5 Jonas E. 7bm7w'5z THE/2 ATTog/QEYs Feb. 20, 1923. 1,446,024

Y J. E. TORNQUIST ET AL APPARATUS FOR AGI'IATING, SEBARATING, POSITIONING, AND DISTRIBUTING.

CDNTAINER CAPS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed June 14, 1920 4 sheets-sheet 5 Ill/IIIIIIIIIIIII/Ifl Feb. 20, 1923.

E. T ORNQUIST SEPARATING, POS

CAPS AN ed June D DISTRIBUTING I ET AL ITIONING, AN HER ARTICLES INER Fi-l 4 sheets-sheet 4 D OT 14,

APPARATUS FOR AGITATING,

CONTA THE 1 ATTOHNE Y5 Patented Feb. 2Q, 1923.

JONAS E. TOBNQUIST AND WILLIAM J. TOWLE, OF PAUL, MINNESOTA; SAID TOBNQUIST ASSIGNOR T0 SAID TOWLE.

APPARATUS FOR. AGITATING, 'sErARe'rrNG, POSITIONING, AND DISTRIBUTING conrnmnn oars AND orHEn-ABTIoLEs. v i;

" Application filed June 14, 1920. Serial No. 388,934.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, J ONAS E. .ToRN Uisr and WILLIAM J. TowLE, citizens of the United States, residents of St. Paul, county of Ramsey State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Agitating Separating, P0. sitioning, and Distributing Container Caps and Other Articles of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates in general to apparatus for closing or sealing various forms of containers used for the preservation of foodstuffs, liquids and other substances by means of suitable caps or covers usually formed of metal.

The object of the invention is to provide means for automatically cleaning feeding and correctly positioning such previously formed caps in chutes or conductors preparatory to the distribution thereof and deliv cry to the containers.

Our invention consists in certain constructions and combinations, hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims with reference also to the accompany ing drawings forming a part of the specification.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus, constructed according to our invention,

Figure 1 is a detail of an anti-clogging device, I v

Figure 1 is a detail of the feed control mechanism,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the apparatus looking in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line' 33 of Figure 2 illustrating the primary feeding device for the caps.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the distributing and feed controlling device the section being taken on the lines 44E ofFigures 8 and 9 illustrating the feed control.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the positioning mechanism.

Figure 5 is a detail section on line 5 5 of Figure 5.

Figure 6 is a section on the lines 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure? is a sectional view similar to Figure at showing some of the parts in a diff terent position. v

Figure 8 is a sectionon the line 8-8 of Figure/7. f

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the apparatus partly in section on the line 9 -9 of Figurel.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are detail views of the positioning device illustrating the positioning of the caps before they reach the distributing chutes to present them in the same relative position in the chutes.

Figure 13 is a detail View of the primary "feed hopper.

In the drawings referring to Figure 1,2, 3 and 9, 14: represents a rotary'screen. hopper or drum having spiders 1 1 and 14? mounted on an inclined shaft 15 supported in bearscreened hopper terminates inv a rotating cylindrical feed hopper 23. The caps 22 are fed from this hopper into a'narrow chute 24, the caps entering the chute edgewise at 25 through a suitable elongated recess 26 in' the peripheral flange 27 of a stationary head 28 forming the rear end of the feed hopper 23. The screen hopper '14 is rotated slowly in the direction of the arrows in Figures 2 and 9 and the caps 22 being agitated in the hopper 23 by suitable strips 29 are thrown about and, entering the narrow extended slot 26 in the flange 27, are conducted to the mouth of the chute 24, rolling on the depressed ledge 30 formed by the recess as shown clearly in Figure 13. The agitatio'nof the caps in the screen hopper 14 removes any adhering particles of grit, dust or other foreign material from the surface of the caps, the saidnlaterial passing out through the screen and the caps being delivered to the chute 2 1 in a perfectly clean and sanitary condition. The caps 22 being formed with an annular flange 22 will enter this chute edgewise with the flange on one side or the otherof the caps as they may happen to lie inthe chute and the capsare' then delivered in this condiinc; brackets 1.6 and 17 arranged upon a suita b'earingB l for the shafthas a driving pulley 36, a pulley 37, a. gear 38'; and a cappositioning annular head 40 as shown most clearly in Figure 1; The head a0 is formed of two rings 41 and 42., secured to the shaft 35 by a spidered hub The rings are spaced apart and connected to each other by a series of pins 44 the space between said pins forming a series of cap-receiving pockets. A vertical chute 45 having a. spiral twist of 180 degrees is secured to the inner annular stationary flange 34: of the head plate 32 and a slot M, the length of which substantially corresponds to the diameter of the caps 22, is cut away in the upper part of the flange 34. A similar slot is provided in the flange below at 4L9 and any of the caps that may drop into the chute 4L5 through the upper slot 47 will, in their passage through the chute, be turned around 180 degrees or inverted and emerge from the chute 45 into the space between the pins ea in a reversed position. A rotating serrated disc 50 (Figures 5 and 5*) is arranged adjacent the discharge end of the chute 24; into the positioning head 40, and a similar disc 51 is mounted at the outlet from the vertical twisted chute a5. These discs, rotating in the direction of the arrows in Figure or,

against the incoming caps, serve to keep the caps agitated and prevent their clogging or jamming as they drop between the pins 44:. The discs are driven at comparatively high speed from the shaft 35 (see Figures 1 and 1) by means of the gear 38, meshing. with a pinion 38 on an. idler shaft 52, a gear 53 on said shaft in mesh with a pinion 54 on the upper disc shaft 55, and a sprocket wheel 56 on the idler shaft 52 having chain connection 57 with a sprocket wheel 58 on the lower disc shaft 59.

The shaft 35 is driven by means of a belt (31 running over idler pulleys 62 and 63 and around the pulley 36 on the shaft 85 and the pulley 20 on the main shaft 15. The positioning device and its shafts are preterably inclined, but at a less degree than the feeding drum and shaft 15 as shown in Figure 1. Referring now to Figures 5 and 10 tol2, as the caps 22 drop between the pins 44 resting on the flanges 34k they are carried over the flange until they come to the slot 4?. A protruding, adjustable sharp ledge or attachment 64 is provided at one intense side of the slot formed by the upper end ot the twisted chute d5 The ledge 64 is preferably formed li'y'the upper edge of one wall of the chute (see Figures 10,11 and 12). I prefer to provide suitable adjusting screws (3+1? and 64: by means of which this upper end of the chute may be adjusted towards or from the plate 32 to increase or decrease the width of the ledge at the top of the chute. Bis here shown the screws 6d secure the upper end of the chute to the plate 32, and the screws 64 pass through the plate and bear against the back surface of the upper end of the chute The screws 6% are preferably provided with lock nuts 64: so that when said screws are adjusted to the desired position the lock nuts may be turned against the face of the plate to lock said screws in position.

The fian 22 of the cap has a rounded edge 22 where it joins the topof the cap and a sharply defined lower or outer edge 22-. See l igure i l/lien a cap with its rounded edge 22 turned towards the ledge 64: is carried over the slot at it will be deflected and will slide off the edge 6 and into the chute i -.5, as indicated in Figure 12. if a cap is turned with the outer sharp edge 22 of the flange toward the ledge 64L, it will remain on the ledge ea, as indicated in Figure l1, and will be carried pass the slot i7 and into the discharge chute 65 as shown in Figure 5. The inclination of the flanges of caps towards the ledge G l materially aids in keeping the caps on the ledge, and carrying them past the slot 47 when they are in the correct position. The caps dropping into the chute d5 will be turned around or reversed by the spiral formation of therhute and emerging from the lower end of the chute will be carried aroundby tl pins a l, upwards past the chute 2 2'; d over the ledge 64; with the sharp edge of the flange turned toward the ledge and past the slot l? to the discharge clmte 65. A deflector (36 (see Figure is arranged adjacent the mouth of the chute (35 to z'lirect the caps and prevent them from being carried past the mouth of the chute, and a projecting upturnci'l end 66 of the cnute facilitates the en nce of the caps to the chute 65 which conducts them to the containen all in the rerpiired or corresponding position for capping When it is necessary or desirable to send the caps to more than one place or station a distributor is provided to deliver the caps to the, various stations. In connectionwith tl distributer we also prefer to provide a regulator to adjust the feed and distribution of the caps in proportion to the capacity required. lu order to insure positive continuous supply of caps. the capacity of the feeding and positioning devices heretofore stopping the feed when a certain quantity ably spaced apart, fitting the discs 70 and 7 are both, mounted on and sedescribed is greater than is usually required for the supply of containers and means are provided tor automatically and temporarily of caps has been delivered to the distributing device.

are delivered from the-chute into a narrow distributing chamber or device 6T, formed by a frame plate 68 having an annular flange 69 and the discs '70, and '5 suitflange 69. The

cured to a drivingshat't 72 and an agitating 73 is "fastened to the disc 71 in the journaled in bearings 74: -on1iected to the plate 68 and secured to a suitable frame 75. A pulley 76 is secured to the shaft '72 and is driven by a belt 76 from the pulley 3'7 on the shaft 35. The

space between the disc and the disc 71 is adjusted to the height of the caps with allowance for proper clearance and as the caps enter the chamber 67, they descend by gravity in the proper position towards the outlet slots 77 provided in the bottom of the chamber 67. Distributing'chutes 7 8, 79 and 8! connect with these slots and convey the caps the desired stations, the caps rolling by gravity to their proper destination.- The a ting plate 73 attached to the rotating disc 71 stirs up the caps collecting in the bottom of the chamber, facilitates their dein the chamber is raised to a certain point as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 8, the teed PnOllgll caps have been discharged to lower the level.

To this end an interior socket 81 is prorided in the plate 70 in which is suitably arranged a rin 82 connected with an exterior plate by means of sliding pins 84 The plate 83 provided with a'hub 85 slidably n muted on'the shaft 72 and a collar 86 is married by this shaft against which and the huh 85 acoil spring S'Z'bears tending to three thering 82 towards the'rotating disc 71. lever 88 is pivoted at 89 to the trame e (38 and has forked connections 89 with a groove 90 in the hub 85 ot the plate The lever extends diagonally upwards to the chute as shown in Figure 9 and its upper end is provided with a spring tensioned pin adapted toenter between the caps 22in tererring to Figures 1, 2, 7 and 8, the caps is 1 automatically interrupted until 'sition to periodically engage the lever'88 the capswvill be permitted to continually roll downwards. ldhen, however the caps 22 in p the distribution chamber 67 accumulate and reach a certain level as indicatedby the dotted line in Figure 8 ;the ring 82 moving outwardly to the position shown in Figure 4; f at every revolution of the shaft 2'2- will allow the caps 22 to enter the space between the ring 82 and disc 71 and prevent the return of the ring 82, and through the plate 83 and the lever 88 the return of the pin 91 from; I I.

contact with the caps 22 in the-chute 24:. The caps above the pin 91 will then be prevented from rolling to the positioning and distributing chambers until the pin 91 is withdrawn. The outward movement 'ofjthe ring- 82 slightlygreater than the thickness or height of the caps 22 and'the tension of thering 82 against the caps is temporarily rclieved'at distributin chamber i'al-ls belowthe ring 82, the caps blocking the return of'the ring to normal will drop below the ring permitting the ring to return and withrlrawing the pin 91 from blocking); contact with the caps inthe chute 2d, when the feeding operation will be resumed.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the caps are first agitated and thoroughly; cleaned and foreign material separated from them in the rotating screen drum M 'and next that they are fed edgewise to the chute 24. Some caps will face one way-andsome the other. In passi through the positioninp' device the capsfacing one way are adjusted a one-halt turn. The caps all tacing the same wayare conducted. to the dis tributing chamber, from whence they maybe distributed in correct position to any number every rotation of .the'cain 92 and as soon 5 therefore, as the level ot-v the caps in the of stations for attachment'to the desired container. The passage ofthecaps throughthe apparatusis automaticallycontrolled in dependently ot the number or capacity of the capping n1achines.

f /Ve have illustrated this macl'iine in the drawings and described it in the foregoing specification as we have used it iuconnection' with the application of metal caps or covers, to'cans. for containing syrup. It is obvious. however, that the machine may be employed, without departing from our in vent/ion. for handling caps or covers of other materials and designed tor; closing other types or containers. It may also, obviously, in many instances, he employed position,- ing and distributing articles other'than' caps or covers for containers. We, therefore, do not limit ourselves to the use of this mecha nism herein shown and described in connection with the spec fic articles hereinillustrated and described. I

Various modifications may be made on the construction and" details of? the apparatus without departing "from the scope or principle of the invention and we do not, therefore, limit ourselves to the details oi? the construction as shown and described.

We claim as our invention:

l. The comhui: 'on, with a feed hopper arran ed at an incline and mounted to roadapted receive a quantity of con- I oi a stationary head at one end of said, upper provided with an elongated narrow slot toreceive the caps singly, onein ont oi the other, a depressed ledge adjacent said slot to receive the caps therefrom, and a chute arranger'l to receive the. caps from said ledge.

2. The combination, withia rotating feed hoppervmounted at an incline and adapted to receive a quantity of container caps, ot a head normally stationary against which the caps are directed by the rotation of said hopper, said head having a flange thereon provided with a narrow elongated slot and a ledge over which the caps roll from said slot and a feed chute to which the caps are delivered singly "from said ledge.

3. The combination,-with a rotating feed hopper adapted to receive a quantity of con,- tainer caps, of a head normally stationary against which the caps are directed by the rotation of said hopper, said head havingan annular flange provided with a circum- "terential recess iforreceiving and aligning the caps and a feed chute arranged to re aligned caps from said slot. combination, with an agitating drum, of a feed hopper mounted to receive container caps from said drum and vhaving a stationary head provided with a peripheral flange having an elongated recess therein for receiving, aligning and directing thecaps from said hopper, and a discharge chute leading from one end of said recess.

5. A cap positioning device comprising feed and discharge chutes, means arranged to receive the properly positioned caps from said feed chute and deliver them to said discharge chute, a ledge on which the caps roll between said chutes, the straight edge of the properly positioned caps following said ledge and the rounded edge of the improperly positioned caps sliding oil said ceive the 4. The

ledge, means for receiving said improperly positioned caps, rcversing'them and returning them to said dehveringmeans to pass again over said ledge to said delivery chute.

to rec ivcthe properly positioned caps from said teed chute and deliver them to said discharge chute, a ledge on which the caps roll during suchpassage, the straight edge of theflproperly positioned caps following said ledge and the rounded edge of said improperly positioned caps sliding off said ledge, a spout arranged to receive the improperly positioned caps from saidle'dge and reverse themand return them to said de livering means to be againrolled over said ledge and said delivery chute.

7. A positioning device for container caps comprising a feed chute adapted; to receive the caps in opposite orrevers e relative positio"= a, and a spout twisted on itslongitudinal axis "for receiving and inverting the caps during their passage therethrought S. A: positioning. device for container caps comprising a revolving head adaptedto receive and carry said caps, means arranged to support caps having their flanges extending in one direction and to deflect by gravity the caps having their flanges extending in the opposite direction, means for receiving and inverting such gravity deflected caps and returning them to said revolving head,

and a discharge chute into which the caps are discharged wlth their flanges all extending in the same direction.

9. A positioning device for container caps comprising a revolving head adapted to receive caps in reversely arranged relative positions, a supporting ledge arranged in proximity to said head and adapted to sup port caps having their flanges extending in one direction and to deflect by gravity caps having their flanges extending in the opposite direction and inverting such gravity deflected caps and returning them to said revolving head to be again engaged by said ledge, and-a suitable discharge Whereto the capsare delivered after they pass over said ledge.

10. A'positioning device for container caps comprising a revolving head having a plurality of pockets therein adapted to receive container caps which may be re- 'ceived and lie in said pockets with their flanges extending in" either direction, a chute encircled by said head and spirally formed to reverse the caps delivered thereto, and means for deflecting into said chute for reversal therein certain of the caps carried by said revolving head, said chute being arranged to redeliver the reversed caps to said revolving head, and a discharge chute whereto the caps carried past the entrance to said.

chute are delivered.

11. The combination, with a positioning device for container caps comprising means for arranging the caps in the same relative position, a chute for receiving the caps so arranged, a distributing device and means actuated by the undue'accumulation of caps in said distributing device for temporarily checking the supply of caps to said positioning device. I 12; Thecombination, with a feed chute, of a cap distributing device having chuteslead ing therefrom to one ormore stations, and mechanism actuated through the accumulation of thecaps in said distributing device for obstructing said feed throughout and checking the supply of caps to said distributing device.

13. The combination, with a feed chute. of a cap distributing device to which said caps are fed from said chute, a lever, a pin mounted thereon to be projected across said chute, and mechanism actuated by the accumulaabove a predetermined level for operating said lever and pin to temporarily check the teed of caps.

14. The combination, with a feed chute,

of a ca distributii'i device com ')1lSlll.'-r'(llSCS having a narrow gap or space between them the space between said .'discs,'means for moving said plate to closeor open the space between it and the opposite disc, means con nected with said plate for checking the feed of caps in said chute and said checking means becoming operativewhen said plate is locked by the accumulation o'f-caps between it and the opposite disc.

15. The combination with means for re versing or positioning container caps in the same relative position, of a distributing device having a chute communicating with said positioning means, said distributing de vice having discharge openings and chutes therefore leading to one or more stations, and means in connection with said distributing device for temporarily checking the feed of caps through the chute leading to the positioning device when the caps in said distributing device have accumulated above a predetermined level.

l6. Mechanism for agitating, separating, positioning and distributing container caps comprising in combination means for agitating said caps, means for feeding said caps singly to a chute through which they travel edgewise, means for separating the improperly arrangedcaps by gravity and positioning said caps with their flanges-extending in the same direction, and means for delivering said caps at the desired stations.

17 Mechanism for separatin position ing and distributing container caps compris-- ing in combination means for delivering said caps singly to a chute through which they travel edgewise, means for separating the improperly positioned caps by gravity a rotating memberhaving an annular pas and positioning them with their-flanges 'eiv tending in the same direction and means for delivering said caps at the desired stations.

1 8. A cap positioning "device comprising an annular head composed 01. two rings upper and'lower sides ofsaidpassage, means 1 at1 the entrance of s'aids'p'out for separating the improperly positioned caps from" the others and delivering them to said spoutp and means for rotating said rings to return the now properly positionedcaps to mingle with the others, anda discharge chute communicating with "said annular passage;v tion oi caps in said distributing device 19. A cap positioning device comprising sage thereingjadapted to receive the capsonedge, means encircled by said memben and commun cating atits ends with said passage for IGCElViIl andinvertingthe impro ierl positioned caps, means. at the entranceof said inverting means-for direeting the is;

properly positioned caps therein, said frotating member returning the inverted caps to "pass again the entranceof'said inverting means and a discharge chute communicat ing with said anni'ilar'passage.

' '20. A cap positioning device comprising a rotating member, having an annular ,passage therein, lmeans-ifor delivering" the aligned and irregularly positioned caps "to said passage, a spout device encircled by said member and communicating atits ends with said passage, a ledge provided at the receiving end of said spout over. which the aligned caps roll the improperly positioned caps sliding by'gravity ofl said ledge. into said spout, means for adjusting said "ledge to increase or decrease its cap engagingsurface, the caps delivered to said spout being invertedand returned-to said passage and iii) the receiving endof said spout and a dischargechute communicating with said passage.

'21. A cap positioningv device comprising an annular rotating member having a passage therein adapted to receive caps on edge, I

and means for separating each cap from the adjacent caps, a cap inverting device ar- I ranged to receive the improperly positioned caps on the upper side of said passage and return them when inverted to the lower side, of said passage, means at the receiving end of said inverting device for engaging'the improperly positioned caps and directing them to said invertingdevice, and a dis charge chutecommunicating with said pas-z sage.

22. A cap positioning device comprising a rotating-member havin an annular passage therein and means or delivering the.

aligned irregularly arranged caps to said passage, a spout having its receiving end communicating with the upper side of said passage and its discharge end with the lower side of said. passage and adapted to receive and invert the improperly positioned caps delivered thereto and return them to said passage.

23. A cap positioning device comprising a rotating member having an annular pastherein andmeans for delivering the aligned irregularly arranged caps to said passage, a1 spout having'its receiving end ronununicating with the upper side of said passage and its dischai-oe end with the lower side ot said passage and adapted to receive and invert the improperly positioned caps delivered thereto and return them to said passage. a wall of said spout forming a let ge on which the caps roll, the properly positioned caps following said ledge past said spout and the improperly. positioned caps sliding oil said ledge by gravity into said spout.

24. A cap positioning device comprising.

a rotating member having an annular pas- .sage therein and means for delivering the aligned irregularly arranged caps to said passage, a spout having its receiving end communicating with the upper side of said passage and its discharge end with the lower side of said passage and adapted to receive and invert the improperly positioned caps delivered thereto and (return them to said passage, a wall of said spout forming a ledge on which the caps roll, the properly positioned caps following said ledge past said. spout and the improperly positioned caps sliding oil said ledgeby gravity into said'spout, and means for adjustingsaid spout wall to vary the cap-engaging area of said ledge.

25. The combination, with a feed chute,

the caps are deliveredpand in. which the caps may slide edgewise radially with respect to said discs and means for-agitatingthe caps in said chamber, of a plurality of distributing chutes leading from said distributing device for conducting the caps to diilerent stations.

In witness whereof, we have hereuntoset our hands this 15th day of May, 1920.

JONAS E. TORNQUIST.

WILLIAM J. TOVVLE.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. BAUTi-HLET,

AsA AjELDREDGE. 

